# Stray start tag “link”.
> Canonical HTML version: https://rocketvalidator.com/html-validation/stray-start-tag-link
> Attribution: Rocket Validator (https://rocketvalidator.com)
> License: CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
The `` element is used to define relationships between the current document and external resources — most commonly stylesheets, favicons, and preloaded assets. According to the HTML specification, `` elements belong in the `` section of a document (with a narrow exception for body-ok link types like certain `rel="stylesheet"` uses, though validators still expect them in the `` for clarity and correctness).
This error typically happens in a few common scenarios:
- A `` tag is accidentally placed inside the `` element.
- A `` tag appears after the closing `` tag but before the `` tag.
- A `` tag is placed after the closing `` tag, often by a CMS, template engine, or plugin injecting code at the end of the document.
- The `` tag is missing or misplaced, causing the browser to implicitly close the `` before reaching the ``.
When the validator encounters a `` element outside its expected context, it reports it as a "stray" start tag — meaning the element has been found somewhere it doesn't belong.
### Why this matters
**Standards compliance:** The HTML specification defines `` as metadata content that belongs in ``. Placing it elsewhere produces invalid HTML.
**Unpredictable behavior:** Browsers will attempt to handle misplaced `` elements, but the behavior can be inconsistent. A stylesheet `` found in the `` may trigger a flash of unstyled content (FOUC) as the browser re-renders the page after discovering the new stylesheet.
**Performance:** Stylesheets linked from the `` are discovered early during parsing, allowing the browser to fetch and apply them before rendering begins. Misplaced `` elements can delay resource loading and degrade the user experience.
**Maintainability:** Keeping all `` elements in the `` makes the document structure predictable and easier for other developers to maintain.
### How to fix it
1. **Locate the stray `` element** — the validator will indicate the line number where the issue occurs.
2. **Move it into the `` section** — place it after the opening `` tag and before the closing `` tag.
3. **Check that your `` tag exists and is in the right place** — a missing or misplaced `` can cause elements you thought were in the head to actually end up in the body.
4. **Review template or CMS output** — if you use a static site generator, CMS, or framework, check that plugins or includes aren't injecting `` tags outside the ``.
## Examples
### ❌ `` placed inside the ``
```html
My Page
Hello
```
### ❌ `` placed after the closing `` tag
```html
My Page
Hello
```
### ❌ Missing `` causes `` to become stray
In this example, the `` tag is missing. The browser encounters the `` tag and implicitly closes the ``, but the `` after it becomes stray content between the implicit head closure and the body.
```html
My Page
Hello
```
### ✅ Correct: all `` elements inside ``
```html
My Page
Hello
```
All `` elements are placed within the `` section, the `` closing tag is present, and the document structure is clean and valid.